Game apparatus



oct. 13, 1936.v Tl WOSSlLl-:Kv A2,057,603

GAME APPARATUS Filed Sept. 19, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 13, 1936.

' T. wosslLEK 2,057,603

GAME APPARATUS Filed Sept. 19, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l, y V b Patented Oct. 13, 1936 @THQ 9 Claims.

This invention relates to a game apparatus and it aims to provide an interesting and fascinating game suggestive of a political race and is preferably termed a political grasshopper game.

It is aimed to provide a novel construction comprising a standard or post having a plurality of foldable ladders carried thereby, adapted to be ascended as scores are made, by game pieces representing grasshoppers, and which standard also carries a movable representation of Uncle Sam, or the like, toward whom the game pieces are adapted to advance in order to determine the winner.

The more specific objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the description following taken in connection with ac companying drawings illustrating an operative embodiment.

In said drawings:-

Figure 1 is a View of the apparatus in operative position;

Figure 2 is a view of such apparatus taken at a right angle to Figure l and showing one of the ladders folded and one of them extended;

Figure 3 is a substantially central vertical sectional view taken through the apparatus;

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line Q of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the shaker used for the dice or similar elements;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional View taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figures 7 and 8 are detail plan views of the dice element; and

Figure 9 is a detail side elevation of one of the grasshopper game pieces.

Referring specifically to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like or similar parts, I0 is a post or standard having a base block Il fastened thereto as at I2 and a cap I3 fitted over a dowel it. The block II has four legs i5 depending therefrom and to facilitate compact packing, such legs are preferably pivoted to the base il by means of vertical pintlesf, or the like, I6.

Surmountng the cap i3 is an element I'l representing Uncle Sam, the element having a recess 18 `whereby it removably engages a peg i9 rising from the cap I3. In one arm, the element il carries a miniature chair 2S from which a peg 2! rises,vand in the other hand, the element l'i carries a hammer 22.

Said cap I3 has a number of recesses into which the upper ends of stiles 23 of ladders 24 extend and are pivoted on horizontal axes by means of pins 25. Such ladders are completed by means of rungs 26. Normally the ladders hang inwardly or fold against the standard l as shown by the left hand ladder in Figure 2. Adjacent to the lower end, said ladders have their stiles outwardly bowed as at 2 in order to accommodate between the same and the standard, arms 28. Said arms 28 are preferably of metallic wire, having portions Ed coiled into springs and fastened in any suitable way as by means of staples 36, to the base ii. Such arms are normally maintained in the vertical position shown at the lef t in Figure 2. U-shaped terminals 3i are provided on the outer end of the arms 23 adapted to engage the lowermost rungs of the ladders 2li as best shown in Figure 3, to hold the ladders in open or extended position. When the apparatus is packed or not in use, the arms 28 are preferably vertical and the ladders folded against the standard and with the legs l5 swung to the most advantageous position.

At the top of each ladder, a Wire, or other perch, 32 is fastened to the cap i3.

In playing the gaine, four game pieces, such as that shown in Figure 9, are used, the game pieces 33, for instance, representing grasshoppers, having a projection or hook 311 whereby they may be engaged with any of the rungs 26 of the ladders andthe edges 32. Each game piece 33 is further provided with a vertical recess 35 whereby it may be impaled by the peg 2l.

The game is played, for instance, through the shaking of elements as detailed in Figure 8 on the order of dice. These elements are initially spherical, but have certain surfaces thereof flattened into squares 36 and into substantially triangular portions 3l.

Each of the ladders 2li is preferably painted al different color and the chance device has a square portion 36 colored according to the colors of each ladder and a triangular portion 3? colored according to the color of each ladder. Preferably two of the chance devices shown in Figures 7 and 8 are used in playing the game.

In the folded position of the ladders, the lower ends of the stiles 23 extend into notches 3B in the base toV hold the ladders so that they are not twisted laterally to avoid strain or distortion on the pins 25.

The game may be played by two to four persons, each having a game piece 33, the four different game pieces 33 being colored to correspond with the four different ladders. The game pieces are adapted to ascend the ladders corresponding in color thereto, round by round,

then the position on perches 32 engaging all of the perches and nally being arranged by means of the recess 35 on the peg 2l, the game piece 33 to rst reach that peg according to the rules of the game is the Winner. The movement of the game pieces is determined through throwing of the chance elements detailed in Figures 7 and 8. 'Ihe chance elements, as heretofore stated, have square and triangular shaped faces and are so constructed that there are six square faces and eight of the triangular shaped faces. Four of the square faces indicated 36, as hereinbefore stated, are designated 36, and each of the faces 36 is colored to correspond With the color of one of the ladders 2d and game pieces 33, the remaining two squares, designated 3S, and arranged on diametrically opposite sides of the chance element is marked with a 0, Of the eight triangular shaped faces 31, two each are colored to correspond with the color of each of said ladders 2li and game pieces 33. In one method of playing the game, movements Vof thegame pieces 33 will be permitted olnly when both squares 3% of the pair of elements, according to the color of the ladder. and game piece of the player, are uppermost, or corresponding triangular surfaces 3l are uppermost, the two surfaces Zi counting for a single move and the two triangular surfaces 3'. counting for a double move. Should a square and triangular surface of any color or of different colors, or two square or triangular surfaces of different colors, be thrown, no count is made, but the player tries again. Each player has three trials before losing his turn. If in three throws the result is that the faces Slt on both chance elements are uppermost in all three throws, the player must start again and. remove his game piece 33.

Obviously other rulesV for playing the game may be devised as may be determined by the players.

To facilitate shaking of the chance devices of Figures 'l and. 8, the holder of Figures '5 and 6 may be used. It consists of a handle 50 having a bowl il into which the chance devices are placed. Such bowl is normally closed by a cap ft2, carried by a lever d3 pivoted at M on the handle itil. The lever extends into a recess 65 of the handle and is pivoted thereto by means of a pin 5.16, a spring il being coiled about the pin 3d and having opposite ends engaging the handle and the lever. When the device is closed, as in Figure 6, which is normally the case, it may be shaken to accordingly shake the game pieces, after which the lever may be depressed at a projection 8, thus opening the bowl M and permit- Ating the chance devices to roll out when the shaker is inverted.

Various changes may be resorted to provided they fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:-

l. Game apparatus of the class described, having an upright post, a plurality of ladders pivoted at the top of and arranged around said post, arms to hold said ladders extended from the lower end of said post, a base portion supporting the post, and means movably connecting said arms to the base portion.

2. Game apparatus of the class described, having a standard, ladders pivoted to said standard,

arms to hold said ladders extended adjacent one end, and means movably connecting said arms to the standard, having spring coils urging retraction of the arms.

3. Game apparatus of the class described, having a standard, ladders pivoted to said standard, arms to hold said ladders extended adjacent one end, and means movable connecting said arms to the standard, having spring coils urging retraction of the arms, said arms having U- shaped outer ends engageable with the rungs of the ladders.

4. Game apparatus of the class described, having an upright post, a cap on said post, and a plurality of ladders pivoted to and depending from said cap.

5. Game apparatus of the class described, having a standard, a cap on said standard, ladders depending from said cap, and perches on said cap.

. 6. Game apparatus of the class described, having a standard, a cap on said standard, ladders depending from said cap, and perches on said cap, an element on said cap, and means carried by said element for engagement by a game piece also engageable with the rungs of said ladders, and with the perches.

7. Game apparatus of the class described, having a standard, a cap on said standard, ladders depending from said cap, perches on said cap, an element on said cap, means carried by said element for engagement by a game peice also engageable with the rungs of said ladders, with the perches, means pivoting the ladders to said cap, and means adjacent to base of the standard to hold the adjacent ends of the ladders unfolded.

8. Game apparatus of the class described, having a standard, a cap on saidV standard, ladders depending from said cap, perches on said cap, an element on said cap, means carried by said element for engagement by a game piece also engageable With the rungs of said ladders, with the perches, means pivoting the ladders to said cap, means adjacent to base of the standard to hold the adjacent ends of the ladders unfolded, comprising a base having notches engaged by the ladders in the folded position, coil spring members fastened to said base, arms` extending from the spring members, and said arms having notched outer ends engageable with the rungs of the ladders. v

9. Game apparatus ofthe class described, having a standard, a cap on said standard, ladders depending from said cap, perches on said cap, an element on said cap, means carried by said element for engagement by a game piece also engageable with the rungs of said ladders, with the perches, means pivoting' the ladders to said cap, means adjacent to base of the standard to hold the adjacent ends of the ladders unfolded, comprising a base having notches engaged by the ladders in the folded position, coil spring members fastened to said base, arms extending from the spring members, said arms having notched outer ends engageable with the rungs of the ladders, legs on the cap removably engaged by said element, and a peg depending from and pivotally connected to said base.

THOMAS WOSSILEK. v 

